Method and means for forming a cockle finish in paper



Jan. 5, 1965 H. P. DIXSON ETAL METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMING A COCKLE FINISH IN PAPER Filed Aug. 3, 1962 3,164,512 METHQD AND BEANS FOR FORMING A CQQKLE FINES IN PAPER Henry F. Dixson, John C. Nelson, Arnold G. Bearnan, and Marvin H. Buhner, Appleton, Wis, assignors to Fox River Paper Corporation, Appieton, Win, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 214,753 11 Claims. {CL 162-112) United States Patent F This invention relates to a method and apparatus for i forming a cookie finish in paper.

One purpose of the invention is a method of the type described resulting in a minimum waste of paper.

Another purpose is a method of forming acockle finish in paper which does not weaken the paper.

' Another purpose is a method of the type described which forms acockle finish which has an uh-artificial appear-- ance. I

Another purpose is anapparatus suitable for perform:

ing a method of cockling paper.

a certain smoothness and better writing properties. The size may be a surface size which is a water dispersion of conventional surface sizing agents such as starch, glue, Water dispersible synthetic resins or mixtures of the same. In addition to adding size a suitable amount of moisture is added and the sizing machine 14 may include a size tray 15, and rollers 16 and 18 mounted in a suitable framework 2%). The paper web 12 passes through the tray 15, around the bottom roller 16, then between the two rollers and then around the top roller 18, as illustrated in FIG- URE 1. After the paper web 12 is passed through the sizing machine it has a moisture content of on the order of about 30 to 33 percent. This moisture content is not a limitation, but has been found to be a satisfactory range. Although the machine 14 has been described as a sizing machine, this is not necessary and it may be used just to add 'a suitable amount of moisture to the paper web. The

a bottom roller 16 may be driven through a suitable speed Another purpose is amethod of cockling paper which makes maximum use of curling of the paper.

Another purpose is the paper web and which prevents a method of the type described in storage and use;

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specifica tion, drawings and claims.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for performing the method described, and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged section through a portion of a cockling roller and the adjacent airhousing.

a which the paper retains its cockle finish during subsequent stantial part of the paper could not be used; There was 7 considerabie waste. In addition, there was a tendency for the cockling to flatten out when the paper was later cut andstored; V p I The second prior method of cocklingjpaperwas to do it by embossing paper already dried. The flat dried web was carried into thenip of a niale and female "pair of rolls Whose surfaces havean engraved design. This dei signfgave raised and depressed areas in the paper, by- 1 virtue of the pressure'in the hip. The? rotation of this pair" of rolls made for aycontinuousprocess. 'In such an' x operation the fibers of-the paper-arefactually-rearranged l j" .=whih has a very weakening effecton the paper; In addition, the paper didnot have a truly un-artificialrappe'art ance in that the' irregularity of the embossing of are roll was substantiaily reproduced in the-paper;

. The PI'GSERfdl'IVCHt-IOIILiS. de'gned'to overcome the l weaknessestof both prior cockling methods." The cockled paper of the present mventzon has an excellent un-artifi' j as we paperishmlldv be fin-nly pressed against {the 060MB It is preferred .cialappearancei There i'sfver'y little waste'andfthe paper is not atjall weakened during the cocklir'ig process.

I Considering the apparatus'il-lustrated in, FIGURE ;l, a

- A rollof paperlt: may be usedto supplyja continuous paper [web 12 which'is directedlthrough the cockling process described. The-web 12fir'st moves't'o. af sizing 'frhachinein dicated generally ati1'4. It is custom a'ry and conventional} i I pattern rolls while the "hot air dries it. I v that the air have a nozzle velocity of between 1,000 to in paper making to insurers the paper ito give: the paper roller 5%) is effective on the opposite side.

is driven through a suitable speed reducer 52, a coupling 54 and a gear box or the like 56. The gear box has a shaf-t. 53 upon which is mounted a sheave 6i reducer 22, and a drive shaft 24. The drive for the shaft 24 will be described hereinafter.

From the sizing machine 14 the web 12 passes around an idler or roller 26 mounted on a framework indicated generally at 28. Near the top of the framework 28 is a cookie pattern roll 30 driven through a speed reducer 32, a coupling 3 and a suitable gear box or the like 36. The ear box may have a shaft 38 on which is mounted a sheave 49. The sheave 465 is driven by a belt 42 in a manner which will-be described hereinafter.

. Positioned directly above the cockle pattern roll 30 is an air housing 44. The lower edge of the housing, as at 46, has substantially the same curvature as roller 30, and is closely adjacent the roller. High velocity, high temperature air is directed into the housing 44 through a duct 48. The high velocity, high temperature air is then directed at the moving webbf .paper to press it against the cockle pattern roll 3%). The exact details of the air system and in particular the housing 44 have not been sh wn, as this equipment is conventional.

Mounted in'the framework 23 and positioned below and slightly to the right, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, of

the roller '30, is a second cockle pattern roll 50. The roller 39 is effective on one side of the paper and the The roller 5% The sheavein turn is driven by a belt 61. Positioned directly below the cockle pattern roll 50 is an'an'r housing 62 which has an inlet duct'6j4; Theyair system for the roller 5% is substantially identical to the air; system for the roller 39.

p After the paper web 12 leaves the second cockle pattern roll 56 it is directed over a suitable idler or roller 66 and then becomes part of a roll 68 mounted on a frame 70. The-roll 63 may be rotated by a suitable rnotorfor the like 72' through a .belt 74.

The air system'is'prefenably offlthe re-circulathrg type with fresh air brought in as needed. The main inlet duct isindicated at 76' and it feeds inlet ducts 48 and 64 which direct the high velocity,;hi'gh temperature air to the air housings 44 and 62. Outlet ducts 78 and Stl-connect the I Thevelocity and temperature of the air are important 20,000"-feetfper minuteandkbe. at a -temperature of betweerifiOO and 7GOdegrees ,F.-,*Althoughthese arethe preferred ranges the inventionshould notbe 'so limited.

is w y-th mo r r v e enemies Jan. 5,1965

is'also advantageous to heat the cockle pattern rolls. lreceivejheat from V p to add size and only moisture may be added.

- paper. content of the paper is brought to about 30 to 33 percent. This is the preferred range although the invention should quarter of an inch, on' the cockle pattern roll.

important point is thatthe cocklefpatte'rn'rolls guide the paper the formatiohof CWK QS.

3 bothsides and will not curl. A temperature in the range of 200 to 230 degrees F. has been found to be satisfactory, but can be higher,-for example 260 degrees F.

The drive system for the cockle pattern rolls and the be supported in suitable bearings 100 and may have a sheave 02 at its extreme left end. The sheave 102. drives a belt 104 which in turn drives sheave 106. Sheave 106 drives shaft 24 for'the sizing machine.

A section through a typical surface for the cockle pattern roll is indicated in FIGURE 2. The surface may have random raised areas 110 and depressions 112 which resemble the surface of cockled paper. The web of paper .112 is being pressed against the surface by a stream of hot air represented by arrows 114.

The use, operation and function of the invention are as follows: l I

Both of the prior methods of forming a cockle finish paper had undesirable results. In the mechanical method in which dry paper was embossed by pressing it against a roller, the paper had an uneven or artificial appearance and, in addition, because the fibers were actually rearranged by the embossing, the paper was substantially weakened. The other method used for cockling paper was to permit it to dry under reduced tension so that it would cockle as it dried. The cockles in this type of formation were so irregular and so random that substantial amounts of the paper were not usable. In addition, there was a tendency for the cockles to flatten out in storage. In the present invention the paper is not weakened in any way and the cookies formed in the paper will remain. It has sufilci'ent irregularity to give a good tin-artificial appearance.

'To trace a web of paper through the apparatus shown,

"a roll of paper it is used to form a Web 12 which first passes through a sizing station 14. Size or starch as well as moisture are added to. the paper. It is not necessary However, size is. advantageous for forming good quality writing In any event, at theflsizing station the moisture not be so limited.

The moist paper is then directed through a first cockle pattern roll 30. The surface of theroller 30', asillustrated in FIGURE 2, has been patterned to resemble cocleled paper; There are random or irregular bumps and depressions which give unpredictable regularity or a .uni-

form irregularity. High velocity, high temperature air,

for example on the order. of about 1,000 to 20,000 feet Preferably the roller is also heated The air pushes the moist, p;lastic web of paper into the" depressions on the cockle pattern roll. The paper is -there fore guided as it 'drieslso that it forms a suitable cockle finish. The paper does not necessarily form the same texture as the embossing roller. And in fact, as the paper dries,it m-ayfmove slightly, for example as much as a The After the paper leaves the first cockle pattern roll it is taken to a second cockle pattern roll which treats the opposite side. This is necessary to prevent curling. In addition, the pattern on the second roller will normally not be the same as that on the first roller so that the second side is treated in a different manner which further adds to the random regularity or uniform irregularity. The air in the second housing which directs air against the second roller is generally at the same temperature and pressure as that applied at the first roller. From the second roller the paper is taken to a suitable roll where it is wound up for later cutting and storage. The invention should not be limited to only two pattern rolls as there may be two, four, six, etc., units depending upon the web speed desired through the system. There must be a sufficient number of units to dry the paper to about 'five percent moisture content.

An important point is the paper does not necessarily make a true copy of the pattern on the rolls. The rolls guide the paper and allow it to form a proper coclde. The paper is dried as it is pressed against the cockle pattern roll. Paper formed in this manner will hold its cockling during storage, and of great importance is the fact that there is very little waste paper. The web of paper moving through the system will be under some tension, but not nearly the degree of tension used to form smooth paper. The web will be moving at reduced tension to permit the paper to cockle. However, the tension will not be as low as that used in the conventional air drying process described above.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there are many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto Within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A method of forming a patterned finish in paper including the steps of bringing a continuous web of paper to a suitable moisture content for providing said patterned finish without rearranging the fibers in the paper, directing high velocity, high temperature air against one side of the Web as it moves with a moving patterned surface so that the web is pressed against the surface as it dries, thereafter directing high velocity, high temperature air at the opposite side of the web as it moves with a second moving patterned surface so that the opposite side of the web is pressed against the surface as it dries.

2. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the moisture content of the web as it moves into the high velocity, high temperature air, is on the order of about 30 to 33 percent.

3. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the high velocity, high temperature air has a velocity on the order of about 1,000 to 20,000 feet per minute.

4. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the temperature of the high velocity, high-temperature air is on the order of about 300 to 700 degrees F.

5. The method of claim .1 further characterized in faces.

including the step of heating said moving patterned sur--.

7. The method of claim 6 runn r humanized in that i said cylindrical surfaces are heated to a'temperature on' the order of about .200 to 230 degrees F.

j .8. The method of claim further characterized in that said web is brought to a moisturecont'ent on'the order ofabou t 30 to 33perce'nt by adding size to the web.

9. Apparatus for. formingfcockle finish paper from a continuous web of paper; including means for adding moisture to the paper Web, a first cockle patterned roller and means for rotating said first roller, means opposite I said rollenfor directing high temperature, high velocity air at the Web of paper moving with said-first roller, a second" cocltle patterned roller," spaced fronr said first roller, and means for rotating said second roller, means for directing high temperature, high velocity atthe web of paper moving with said second roller, said first roller presenting one side of the Web to the high temperature, high velocity air and said second roller presenting the opposite side of the web to the high temperature, high velocity air.

10. The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the means for adding moisture to the Web also adds size to'the Web.

11. The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that means for directing high velocity, high temperature E air at the Web of paper moving With each of said rollers includes a housing adjacent each roller, each of said housings extending partially around its roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,509,418 Cofrin Sept. 23, 1924 1,970,273 Bosso et al. Aug. 14, 1934 2,714,839 Mazer Aug. 9, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 389,143 France June 19, 1908 

1. A METHOD OF FORMING A PATTERNED FINISH IN PAPER INCLUDING THE STEPS OF BRINGING A CONTINUOUS WEB OF PAPER TO A SUITABLE MOISTURE CONTENT FOR PROVIDING SAID PATTERNED FINISH WITHOUT REARRANGING THE FIBERS IN THE PAPER, DIRECTING HIGH VELOCITY, HIGH TEMPERATURE AIR AGAINST ONE SIDE OF THE WEB AS IT MOVES WITH A MOVING PATTERNED SURFACE SO THAT THE WEB IS PRESSED AGAINST THE SURFACE AS IT DRIES, THEREAFTER DIRECTING HIGH VELOCITY, HIGH TEMPERATURE AIR AT THE PPOSITE SIDE OF THE WEB AS IT MOVES WITH A SECOND MOVING PATTERNED SURFACE SO THAT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE WEB IS PRESSED AGAINST THE SURFACE AS IT DRIES.
 9. APPARATUS FOR FORMING COCKLE FINISH PAPER FROM A CONTINUOUS WEB OF PAPER INCLUDING MEANS FOR ADDING MOISTURE TO THE PAPER WEB, A FIRST COCKLE PATTERNED ROLLER AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID FIRST ROLLER, MEANS OPPOSITE SAID ROLLER FOR DIRECTING HIGH TEMPERATURE, HIGH VELOCITY AIR AT THE WEB OF PAPER MOVING WITH SAID FIRST ROLLER, A SECOND COCKLE PATTERNED ROLLER, SPACED FROM SAID FIRST 